The NBA’s Night Off That Wasn’t

Were you watching the NBA on Thursday night? It was pretty great. Two of the best teams in the league played a close, tense game that was decided in the final minute by an ecstatic burst of heroics, as Ray Allen hit a go-ahead 3-pointer to pull the Miami Heat over the San Antonio Spurs. But to commissioner David Stern, this was unacceptable. Before the game, he released a statement saying that “substantial sanctions” would be levied on the Spurs because of coach Gregg Popovich’s decision to send home four of his team’s top players — among them All-Stars Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker — in order to rest.

Reuters

Despite sending his best players back to San Antonio, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich still coached the team Thursday.

Pulling his team’s biggest stars from a TNT-televised game against the league’s most popular team is, on the scale of troll-ish Gregg Popovich moves, a decently rude thing to do. But there’s no doubt that there were legitimate basketball reasons for doing so, considering San Antonio’s overloaded schedule and the fact that they play the Memphis Grizzlies, who carry the Western Conference’s best record, on Saturday. These things happen, too, because the regular season is a horse race and coaches develop their own strategies to ensure their players are prepared to make a championship push in June, as opposed to playing too hard and pulling a muscle in November. What may have ticked off Stern, though, is the transparency with which Popovich made his decision, explicitly putting his players on a plane back to San Antonio rather than withholding them with the typical list of exaggerated NBA ailments: flu symptoms, strained muscle, old age. Stern has also penalized teams in the past for making similar star-resting moves, though it’s left up to history whether he ever used language as seriously as he did this time. But considering the thrilling finale, close score and fact that the Spurs reserves almost pulled off the upset, it’s hard to say that fans didn’t get a taste of an entertaining product, even if it wasn’t as nice as seeing a trio of All-Stars.

“There are Spurs fans in Miami who have probably waited all year for this game, the one time their favorite team comes to town, and instead of the Hall of Famers, they got Matt Bonner and Tiago Splitter. That’s pretty brutal. I can admit that the move was tactically intelligent to a degree and overall harmless while still thinking ‘Oh, man, what a bummer,’” Matt Moore writes for CBS Sports. “But doling out a disappointment is not something that allows for Stern to send down the wrath from high atop the thing. You can’t fine the Wizards for managing their cap terribly, can’t fine the Bulls for playing starters too much, and you can’t punish Popovich for taking a whizz on hardworking people in pursuit of… whatever it is he’s trying to accomplish by resting his guys in a game in November, five months from the playoffs.”

* * *

Though the New Orleans Saints, depleted after a round of bounty-scandal suspensions, began this season 0-4, they’d since clawed out a respectable record while clinging onto the idea of sneaking in as an unlikely playoff wild card. Those hopes look to be a little more far-fetched for the moment, as the Saints were unceremoniously bounced by the Atlanta Falcons in the rare Thursday Night Football matchup that actually seemed entertaining going in. More surprising than the game’s watchability, however, was the cessation of a record owned by Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who’d previously thrown a touchdown pass in 54 straight games over the past four seasons. In fact, Brees may have had his worst game as a professional, throwing five picks and ensuring the Saints won’t be in control of their own postseason destiny, as they’d have to win out while also hoping the other teams ahead of them trip up. That Brees made a bunch of easy mistakes was out of the ordinary, but there can’t be any doubt that the NFC South belongs to the 11-1 Falcons, at least for now.

“We may never know how much the Saints’ bounty scandal cost them this year. Would they have started 0-4 with Sean Payton as their coach? Did the suspensions and lawsuits and accusations sap their energy? Let’s just say this: It could not have helped. And maybe the Saints brought that on themselves or maybe they didn’t — that’s a whole other discussion,” Michael Rosenberg writes for Sports Illustrated. “But there is a small difference between greatness and mediocrity in the NFL. The Saints planned on one and ended up with the other.”

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Mariano Rivera’s untimely ACL injury earlier this year was a bummer for anyone who’s ever appreciated his flagless closing skills, whether or not they’d claim to be a Yankees fan. It wouldn’t have been surprising, given his age and the severity of the injury, for Rivera to call it a career after racking up countless records, rings and financial reward over a nearly 20-year reign in the league. Such speculation appears to have been premature, as the Yankees are apparently on the verge of re-signing him to a lucrative one-year, $10 million contract that would presumably see him refill his former role, which had been covered by the possibly departed Rafael Soriano during the 2012 season. Of course, it’s wildly early to say if Rivera could prove the difference for a Yankees team that was swept out of the playoffs. But at the very least, it’ll be pleasant to see a familiar face.

It’s a bit of a different picture for the New York Mets, who could only be picked as a 2013 contender by a fortune teller tripped out on bath salts. But it’s important for the Mets to keep at least some stars in their big, shiny stadium, which is why they re-signed third basement David Wright to the most expensive contract in team history: eight years and nearly $140 million, which should go toward ensuring the franchise hits leader stays in Queens for the rest of his days. His ubiquity as a fan favorite and the financial and statistical argument for keeping him aboard would seem to justify the price, especially as he rebounded this season after a down 2011 year. “Whatever the particulars and quibbles,” Andy Martino writes for the New York Daily News, “the big picture is more important for player and franchise: The 30-year-old Wright, who already holds many franchise records, including hits and runs batted in, will likely finish his career as a Met, and serve as club ambassador after that.” It would be even nicer if the Mets got their act together while he was still playing.

Comments (5 of 7)

We would have smoked those chumps even if they brought their big 3. It wouldn't be the first time anyways. Nuff said - FACEPALM -

4:49 pm November 30, 2012

I'm not fat, not American, and I actually understand basketball. That's why I watch it. wrote:

I was thinking I'll find some smart comments here, but you're as stupid as Stern. You should keep your opinion to yourself, because it makes you look stupid in front of the smart people, and continue to watch you circus aka NBA. I hope someday you'll understand what sport is all about. I should send a list of suggestions to the NBA to make your clowns league more interesting. First suggestion would be a new rule - If you foul a star player when there is a possibility that the play you stopped could have been a dunk, the player who committed the foul gets suspended for 5 days.

3:58 pm November 30, 2012

Spurlife wrote:

So how do real coaches act? Pop has 13 consecutive 50+ win seasons and during that time the Spurs have the best winning percentage in all the major sports combined!!!! I think he has a little bit more wisdom than some other coaches in the league. And other than a handful of coaches, what other "real" coaches have won any NBA titles? Do some research before you make stupid comments. The Spurs fans could care less if the Celtics, Lakers, or whoever left their starters at home. Pop did what he had to do last night and many analysts agree with it. The NBA should have told him several years back when he first started doing it but then again what are you going to tell those playoff teams that sit their players towards the end of the season? You can't have it both ways...all teams do this you just don't hear about it because it was a national game. The Spurs reserves gave the Heat a very competitive game. If Stern wanted to showcase this game so bad he should not have scheduled it on the last game of a 5-game road trip but we all know LeBron and Kobe are his favorite sons. You can never see the point of view from someone who lives in San Antonio and has had to put up with Sterns antics towards small market teams as the Spurs over the years.

2:50 pm November 30, 2012

J_L_B wrote:

"There are Spurs fans in Miami"

Perhaps, but probably not enough to use the plural form of "fan."

2:39 pm November 30, 2012

Tarek wrote:

This is not the way real coaches act. Lets see if everyone will agree with Doc Rivers leaving Kevin Garnett, Rondo and Paul Pierce in Boston when they go visit the Spurs. Those Celtics players are as old as the Spurs 3. How will the San Antonio people will see that then?
Lets have the Lakers keep Gasol, Kobe and Nash in La when they visit the Spurs, or Memphis resting Z-bo, Gasol and Conley... now it does not sound like such a great idea by Pope, does it?

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